Hog ringer mechanism



INVENTOR. H W MII/er H. W. MILLER HOG RINGER MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 1Jan. 23, 1951 Filed. Oct. 21, 1948 on 8 mm i Q E H. W. MILLER HOG RINGERMECHANISM Jan. 23 1 4 Sheets-s 2 Q .m wm

Filed Oct. 21 1948 INVENTOR /W/er Jan. 23, 1951 H. w. MILLER HOG RINGERMECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 21, 1948 Jan. 23, 1951 H. w.MILLER v HOG RINGER MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 21, 1948INVENTOR. H. WMM/er BY Patented Jan. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE HOG RINGER MECHANISM Hercheal Wood Miller, Davenport, Iowa,assignor to Stellar Manufacturing Company, Burlington, Iowa, acorporation-of Iowa Application October 21, 1948, Serial No. 55,758

11 Claims. 1

My present invention relates to hog ringers of the general typedisclosed in the application of Sylvester P, Callaway, Serial No.31,153, filed June 4, 1948, now Patent #2,466,928, issued March 3, 1949,and comprises various improvements on the structure disclosed in saidapplication. Among the objects of this invention are the provision of ahog ringer of the general type indicated which will to a greater extentbe automatic in its operation than the machine of the applicationreferred to above; the provision of a machine of the type indicatedwhich will, when placed against the nose of a hog, automatically apply aring to the hogs nose and then open up to release a ring and permit thehog to move away freely from the position occupied by him when the ringis being applied; the provision of a ringer of the type indicated havingmeans for adjusting the size thereof to fit rings of difierent sizes;and such further objects, advantages, and capabilities as will hereafterappear and as are inherent in the construction disclosed herein. Myinvention further resides in the combination, construction, andarrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings and, whileI have shown therein what is now regarded as the preferred embodiment.of this invention, together with a modification thereof, I desire thesame to be understood as illustrative only and not to be interpreted ina limiting sense.

In the drawings annexed hereto and forming. a part hereof:

Fig. 1 .is a partial side view of a structure in accordance with thisinvention, part of the casing and the cocking handle being broken awayto show the interior construction and to reduce the amount of spacerequired for the drawing;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig, l, with parts broken away and with theinterior mechanism in a different position of adjustment;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 2 with parts of the interiormechanism in diiierent. positions of adjustment;

Fig. 4 represents a partial longitudinal section in plan view showingthe relationship of the parts in the casing;

Fig. 5 represents a transverse section substantially along the planeindicated by the line 5-5, Fig. 3, with a charge of rings in, themagazine and the. ringv feeder in, place Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectionalelevation of the forward part of the ringer with a ring shown in brokenlines in three positions between the ringholding jaws;

Fig. 7 is a. perspective view of the ring feeder,

Shown in elevation in Fig". 5;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the operative mechanism of a modified formof construction in which the rings are fed manually and individ ually tothe ring-closing jaws;

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 8, and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary side elevation of the rear portion of themechanism shown in Fig. 8, the same being shown in a partiallyperspective position.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, a housing I I, which contains themechanism, has a handle ['2 at one end and a finger opening 13 definingthe handle. An opening i l extends along an edge of the housing H forthe passage of the cocking handle l5. The handle is connected to a lugIt by a pivot ll.

A pair of pivot posts 3! is mounted in the housing H in the forward partthereof. Each post '31 has pivoted thereon a bifurcated member 51.

which members are held in adjusted position by a left and right handthumb screw 54 which is threaded into the connecting web 56 of each ofsaid members iii.

A pair of ring-holding jaws. 38 is pivoted, individually, on pivot posts37. A pair of operating levers 35 is also pivoted, individually, onposts 31. Levers 35 have forward ends 52 which are engageable inchannels in jaws 38 for moving the jaws together. The rearward ends ofthe levers 36 are connected, individually, to toggle arms I9, 29 whichare interconnected by pivot 5'8. Pivot i8 is movable in longitudinalguide slot I la in the housing 6 Pivot 18 carries a roller 2! and aspring connector 33 mounted thereon. Springs 3 engage connector and areanchored on pins 35 near the forward end of the housing. The pivot i8 isengageable by the cocking handle 55 upon rearward movement of thelatter, whereby to move the pivot i8 rearwardly.

A hook 22,. engageable with the pivot I E! in rearward position thereof,is mounted on post 23 for rotation, and. is biased into hooked positionby spring 24 anchored on pin E la carried by boss 25 in the housing ll.An arm 25 is fixed for movement with hook 22. A pin 23 is mounted in thehousing for engaging arm and thereby limiting movement of hook 22 intohooked position. An operating rod 27. is pivoted to arm 25 and has a seeve 3! secured at its forward end. A rod 29 is held in adjustedposition in sleeve 3! by set screw 38. The rod 29 has its tor -yard endbent laterally to a position between the ringholding jaws 38.

In operation, when rod 29' is moved rearwardly by the septum of ananimal, the hook 22 releases the pivot |8 for motion by the springs 34.The toggle then moves the jaws 38 together until pivot I8 is between thepivotal connections of arms l9 and 20 and the levers 38. Continuedmotion of pivot l8 in the slot Ila moves the forward ends 52 of thelevers 38 apart. This provides immediate release of the ring afterclosure. The device may then be recocked by rearward motion of the arm|5.

One arm of each bifurcated member 51 is extended forwardly and carriesan angular guide 42 for a ring magazine. The guides 42 are facing andthe distance between them may be adjusted by thumb screw 54 for carryingvarious sized rings. As shown in Figs. 5 and '7, a spring follower isemployed which comprises a frame 5| having three parallel arms. Afollower bar 50 is slidable n the three arms and is biased toward thefree ends of the arms by the spring 49 which is secured at its ends tobar 59 at its center and to the free end of the center arm. The springfollower may be held in position between the guides 42 as by hooksillustrated in Fig.

To load the magazine, rings are placed between the guides 42. The springfollower is then hooked in position with the follower bar 59 pressingagainst the rings. The jaws 38, in normal position, close the lower endsof the guides 42 and prevent passage of rings. The facing surfaces ofjaws 38 are provided with channels 39 for the reception of rings fromthe guides 42. The jaws 38 on the sides of the channels 39 away from theguides 42 are provided with extensions 48 to stop rings in the plane ofchannels 39 when received from the guides 42. The channels 39 are curvedtoward each other at their forward ends to provide stops 4| to hold aring in position 32 ready for application.

The following mechanism is provided for opening the jaws 38 andformoving rings in the channels 39 forwardly. A rectangular frame, whichcomprises the bars 44 and crossbar H, is slidably mounted in the housingon pin 14 which is received in slot in crossbar 1|. The frame is biasedto forward position b the tension spring 12 which is connected to thecrossbar 1i and to the pivot 23. The forward ends of bars 44 areconnected to extensions 56 on the jaws 38 by pivots 45. Rearward motionof the frame opens the jaws 38, thereby to allow passage of one ringonto extensions 48.

A link 62 is connected at one end to handle 15 by pivot 8|. The link 62is connected at its other end to one end of the link 84 by the pivot 53.The link 64 is connected at its other end to a boss 58, integral withthe housing H by the pivot 65. An arm 59 is mounted on the post 23 forfree rotation thereon. The free end of the arm 59 has connected theretoa tension spring 67 which, in turn, is connected to the pivot 65. Innormal position, the spring 61 will bias the arm 59 to a positionbetween the post 23 and the pivot 65. From this position, the arm 59 maybe moved in either direction. The pivot 83 is extended to the plane ofthe arm 59 whereby to engage the arm 59 and move it in either direction.An adjustable abutment 79 is mounted in the crossbar ll for engagementby the arm 59. Rearward movement of the handle l5 moves the pivot 83rearwardly and, in turn, the arm 59 which, by engaging the abutment,moves the frame rearwardly until the pivot 53 slips past the end of thearm 59. The spring 12 then moves the frame to forward position.

The rod 58 is connected at its rear end to the arm 59 by the pivot 69.The forward end of the rod 58 is turned laterally to a point between thejaws 38 and terminates in a ring-engaging head 49 which is grooved inits front face to receive a ring.

In operation, the rod 29, as shown in Fig. 3, is engaged with the septumof an animal,whereby to move the rod 23 to the rear. This unhooks thetoggle and pivots the arms 35 under action of the springs 34. The jaws39 are closed by the levers 36 and close ring 32 on the septum.Completion of spring operation of the toggle releases the jaws 38,whereb the animal is immediately released.

The handle I5 is then moved rearwardly and engages the pivot l8 andmoves it rearwardly, as above described, to cocked position. At the endof this rearward movement, the pivot 53 moves the frame to the rear andopens the jaws 38. Simultaneously, the rod 58 is moved to the rear. Withthe jaws open and the head 48 to the rear, another ring drops into thejaws. The handle i5 is then moved forward. The pivot 53 then moves therod 58 forwardly, whereby the ring is moved forwardly. Upon completionof the forward motion of the handle i5, the arm 59 is freed fromengagement with the pivot 63. Therefore, the arm 59 returns to normalposition. The ringer is then again in loaded operating position.

In the form of Figs. 8 to 10, the upper lever and upper jaw 77 areconstructed to move as a unit, although structurally, they may beseparate. The lower lever 36 is formed of spaced apart laminae, betweenwhich there is mounted a stop 8| for reciprocation. The lower jaw Ilaextends in both directions from its pivot 31, with the rear arm thereofbetween the laminae of the lever 35. The stop 8| has a shoulder on itsforward side for engaging the rear end of the jaw Ila for moving the jawto closed position. To operate the stop Bl, an extension 19 is providedon the toggle arm 28 which supports a pivoted guide 85. A rod 82 has aknob on one end, extends through the guide 85, and is pivoted to thestop 8|. Springs 83 and 84 are positioned on the rod 82 on Oppositesides of the guide 85. The spring 73 engages both the jaws l! and thejaw 11a to bias the latter toward the former.

This described structure is for use without the magazine and associatedparts. With the parts in released position, as shown in Fig. 10, a ringis placed in operating position between the jaws. In this position, thejaw Ila is pivoted away from the shoulder Ma. The handle [5 is moved tothe rear. The shoulder 8|a moves out so that it passes the end of thejaw Ha. Further motion of the handle [5 turns the extension 19 and movesthe stop 3| forwardly. When the levers 35 come together, the stop 8|will snap to engaging position over the end of the jaw Ila. Upon releaseof the hook 22, the toggle will move the levers 3S and, therefore, movethe jaws Ti and 7101. together. Upon completion of the movement of thetoggle past dead center with the strain released, the spring 83 willmove the stop 8| free of the jaw Ha. The animal can then unsnap the ringfrom the jaws.

It is of course understood that the specific description of structureset forth above may be departed from without departing from the spiritof this invention as disclosed in the foregoing specification and asdefined by the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. In a hog ringer having an enclosing casing;

a pair of pivotally mounted ring-closing jaws having their ring-holdingends facing each other and spaced to receive between them rings to beapplied to hogs noses, adjustable means for adjusting the space betweenthe jaws to fit rings of different sizes, said jaws having theirnon-adjacent faces longitudinally grooved for the reception of theforward ends of a pair of levers, 1ongitudinally extending levers in thecasing mounted to turn on the pivots of the jaws and having theirforward ends in the grooves of the jaws, the opposite ends of the levershaving toggle members mechanically connecting them, and spring meansconnected to the toggle mechanism to force the ends of the levers apartwhereby to force the jaws to close on and compress a ring between thejaws to closed position.

2. In a hog ringer having a casing; a pair of jaw pivots mounted in saidcasing and supported in sockets in the walls thereof, jaw actuatinglevers pivoted on said pivots, jaws pivotally mounted on said pivots,the levers serving to close the jaws when actuated, said jaws havinggrooves in their edges directed away from each other, the jaw-actuatinglevers being received in said grooves, and mechanism for actuating saidlevers and jaws into operative positions.

3. A structure as defined by claim 2 in which there is means foradjusting the holding space between the jaws to fit hog rings ofdifferent sizes.

4. A hog ringer comprising, in part, a pair of ent sizes, said jawshaving extensions beyond the pivots, toggle mechanism for actuating saidextensions whereby to close and open the jaws, spring means foractuating the toggle mechanism, a latch for holding the spring meansextended for actuating the toggle mechanism to exert power upon thering-closing jaws, and trigger means terminating adjacent theringholding ends of the ring-holding jaws and, when pressed, serving torelease the latch, whereby to free the toggle mechanism to cause closingof the ring-holding jaws.

5. In a hog ringer, a pair of ring-closing jaws, spacing means forholding the jaws in operating position, means connected with the spacingmeans to adjust the jaws to different spacings, spring actuated means toact on said jaws and cause closing thereof, latching means to hold thespring-actuated means in operative position, and trigger means forreleasing the latching means.

6. In a hog ring having a casing; a pair of jaw pivots mounted in saidcasing and supported in sockets in the walls thereof, jaw actuatinglevers pivoted on said pivots, jaws pivotally mounted on said pivots,the levers serving to close the jaws when actuated, said jaws havinggrooves intheir edges directed away from each other, the jaw-actuatinglevers being received in said grooves, mechanism for actuating saidlevers and jaws into operative positions, said mechanism for actuatingsaid levers being a toggle means pivoted at the ends thereof to the endsof said levers, and spring means connected to said toggle means to movethe toggle from a closed position with the jaws open through a deadcenter position in which the jaws are closed and to a second closedposition of said toggle means past dead center in which the jaws arereleased.

7. An animal ringer comprising a pair of jaws mounted for pivotalmovement together and apart, jaw-operating levers pivotally mounted forclosing said jaws upon movement apart of the ends of said levers remotefrom said jaws, at least one of said jaws being mounted for motiontoward closed position of said jaws independently of the jaw-operatinglevers, and spring-actuated toggle means pivoted to said lever endsremote from said jaws for moving from a closed toggle position throughdead center and to a second closed toggle position, whereby upon suchmovement the jaws are closed and then released by said remote lever endsbeing drawn togetherby said toggle means.

8. An animal ringer comprising a pair of jawoperating levers, eachpivotally mounted so that, upon separation of the operating ends of saidlevers, the jaw ends of said levers move together, a toggle pivotedindividually to the operating ends of said levers, the joint of saidtoggle being movable from a position at one side of dead center, throughdead center, and to a position at the other side of dead center wherebyupon complete movement of said toggle in one direction the jaw ends ofsaid levers move together and then apart.

9. An animal ringer as defined in claim 8 in which latch means areprovided releasably to hold saidtoggle in a position away from deadcenter, and spring means for moving said toggle upon release of saidlatch means through and past dead center.

10. An animal ringer comprising a pair of jawoperating levers pivotallymounted, a pair of jaws engageable individually by said levers andmovable thereby to closed position upon movement of said levers apart attheir ends remote from said jaws, said jaws being movable independentlyof said levers when said lever ends are together, means independent ofsaid levers for biasing said jaws together, a toggle having its endspivoted to said remote lever ends, latch means for holding said togglein one direction away from dead center, spring means for moving saidtoggle to and past dead center upon release of said latch means, andoperating means for returning said toggle to position in which it isheld by said latch means.

11. An animal ringer as defined in claim 10 in which a magazine isprovided to hold a succession of rings against the sides of said jaws,and means actuated by said operating means for moving said jaws apartwhen said remote lever ends are together, whereby a ring of saidsuccession is allowed to be fed to a position between said jaws.

HERCHEAL WOOD MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 327,119 Taylor Sept. 29, 18851,136,149 McGowan Apr. 20, 1915 1,501,366 Peterson July 15, 1924

